The Grace We Often Fail to Notice.

Sometimes the blessing passes by,  
So quietly we fail to see.  
A danger gone, a door held wide,  
A stranger's kindness by our side.

A phone misplaced, yet still returned,  
A lesson quietly learned.  
A prayer we thought had gone unheard,  
Answered without a single word.

We ask for signs, we ask for proof,  
While grace is standing on our roof.  
God's hand may work beyond our sight,  
Through ordinary things each night.

So let us pause before we speak,  
And thank the Lord for what we seek.  
For every breath, each passing day,  
And every time He makes a way.

For grace is often not displayed  
With trumpets sounding in parade.  
Sometimes God's greatest gifts are found  
In quiet mercies all around.

*🙏 Recognising God's Grace in the Little Things.*

*🙏🕊️ Opening Prayer.*

_Heavenly Father, we come before You._

_We thank You for all Your providence and all Your grace. Hallowed be Thy holy name._

_O Father God, I pray that today You give us the strength, the wisdom, and the guidance to live this day as an exemplary example of what a Christian should be, so that those who look upon us and know that we are Your followers cannot find fault with You through our wrongdoings._

_Help us to have wholesome speech on our lips, and help us not to become angry easily._

_Help us to be obedient to the authorities You have placed in our lives. This includes our employers, our government, and all the lawful authorities that we encounter, including traffic officers and police officers, whether in our own country or elsewhere._

_Father, we thank You for the graces You give us._

_Yesterday, I misplaced my phone on a shelf in the superstore where I was exchanging stock for my boss. I walked away in such a hurry that I left the phone behind._

_It could easily have been stolen._

_Yet You kept Your hand upon it._

_You brought two ladies across its path who found the phone and handed it in at reception._

_Thank You for that, Lord._

_I pray that You help us all to recognise these little things in our lives._

_Help us to overcome the snares of the devil that are laid before us each day._

_Help us not to succumb to the accuser of the brethren, nor to Satan's wiles and traps._

_Help us, Lord, to forgive those who trespass against us, so that we may enjoy Your forgiveness._

_We ask all these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ._

_Amen._

*🌅💭 Introduction.*

Once again yesterday, I was reminded about God's grace.

And it made me think about how much we need to be grateful.

We really need to be grateful.

Grateful because God cares for us.

We do not always see His interventions.

We do not always know how He has protected us.

We do not always know whether someone we met, something that happened, or even a delay that frustrated us may have been part of God's providential care.

Sometimes we simply do not see what God has done until afterwards.

Yesterday, I could easily have walked away from that shop without my phone.

I did not even realise that I had left it behind.

Yet two strangers found it and handed it in.

That small event reminded me that there are many things for which we should give God thanks.

It is also possible that God uses people and circumstances to help us without our immediately recognising His hand in what has happened.

We may never know how many dangers we have avoided.

We may never know how many prayers have been answered in ways we did not recognise.

We may never know how many times God has protected us from something we never even saw coming.

Gratitude can be difficult when we are going through difficult times.

And there is certainly no shortage of difficulties in the world.

People face poverty, crime, addiction, broken relationships, grief, loneliness, confusion, and many other struggles.

The Christian response is not to pretend that suffering does not exist.

Rather, we are called to remember that God remains God even when our circumstances are difficult.

We should also remember that every human being has dignity because we are created by God.

Our identity should therefore be approached with humility before our Creator, while recognising that people may experience genuine struggles involving their bodies, emotions, relationships, and understanding of themselves.

Christians are called to speak truth while also showing compassion.

We must never forget that the person standing before us is someone whom God created.

That is why today's lesson is not simply about noticing the good things.

It is about learning to recognise God's grace, remaining thankful during difficulty, and allowing gratitude to shape the way we treat other people.

*⛪📜 A Little Church History: The Practice of Giving Thanks.*

Throughout Christian history, thanksgiving has been an important part of Christian worship and daily life.

The early Christians gathered for prayer, teaching, fellowship, and the breaking of bread.

The word *Eucharist* itself comes from the Greek word _eucharistia_, meaning thanksgiving.

Christians throughout the centuries have therefore understood gratitude not merely as a pleasant emotion, but as a response to God's goodness.

The apostle Paul repeatedly encouraged believers to give thanks.

This was not because every circumstance was pleasant.

Rather, Christians were encouraged to recognise God's faithfulness even while facing hardship.

The Christian life has never been promised to be free from trouble.

What has been promised is that God does not abandon His people.

Gratitude helps us remember that.

*✍️🌿 A Poem: The Grace We Did Not See.*

Sometimes the blessing passes by,  
So quietly we fail to see.  
A danger gone, a door held wide,  
A stranger's kindness by our side.

A phone misplaced, yet still returned,  
A lesson quietly learned.  
A prayer we thought had gone unheard,  
Answered without a single word.

We ask for signs, we ask for proof,  
While grace is standing on our roof.  
God's hand may work beyond our sight,  
Through ordinary things each night.

So let us pause before we speak,  
And thank the Lord for what we seek.  
For every breath, each passing day,  
And every time He makes a way.

For grace is often not displayed  
With trumpets sounding in parade.  
Sometimes God's greatest gifts are found  
In quiet mercies all around.

*📖🌟 Scripture One: Remember God's Benefits.*

> *"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."*  
> — Psalm 103:2, KJV.

David reminds himself not to forget what God has done.

That is important because human beings have a tendency to remember our problems more easily than our blessings.

We can spend an entire day thinking about one thing that went wrong while overlooking ten things that went right.

Gratitude requires us to stop and remember.

*💡 Practical Application.*

At some point today, deliberately stop and identify *three things God has provided, protected, or allowed you to experience*.

They do not have to be spectacular.

Food.

Shelter.

A friend.

A conversation.

A safe journey.

A job.

A moment of peace.

Even the simple fact that you woke up this morning.

*📝 Daily To-Do.*

Write down three things for which you are thankful.

Then say:

*"Thank You, Lord, for these things."*

Do not rush it.

Actually think about each one.

*☁️ Heavenly View.*

What looks ordinary to us may still be part of the mercy of God.

We do not need to understand everything God is doing before we can thank Him.

Sometimes faith means recognising His goodness even when we cannot see the complete picture.

*📖🙏 Scripture Two: Give Thanks in Every Circumstance.*

> *"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."*  
> — 1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV.

Paul does not say that everything that happens is good.

He tells believers to give thanks *in* everything.

There is a difference.

We can grieve when something is painful.

We can acknowledge injustice.

We can admit that life is difficult.

Yet even in difficult circumstances, we can still recognise that God remains faithful.

*💡 Practical Application.*

When something frustrating happens today, pause before reacting.

Take a breath.

Instead of immediately asking:

*"Why is this happening to me?"*

also ask:

*"Lord, what can I learn from this, and what can I still thank You for?"*

That simple pause can change the direction of a difficult moment.

*📝 Daily To-Do.*

Choose *one irritation* that happens today.

Before responding, take ten seconds and thank God for something.

Then respond calmly.

*☁️ Heavenly View.*

Our circumstances are temporary.

God's character is not.

The situation around us may change from one hour to the next, but God's faithfulness does not depend upon whether our day is going according to plan.

*📖🕊️ Scripture Three: Let Christ's Peace Rule.*

> *"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."*  
> — Colossians 3:15, KJV.

Notice the connection.

Paul speaks about peace.

Then he speaks about thankfulness.

The Christian response to difficulty is not supposed to be uncontrolled anger, bitterness, or revenge.

We are called to compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, peace, and thankfulness.

That is not always easy.

But Christianity is not merely about what we believe.

It is also about how we live.

*💡 Practical Application.*

Today, pay attention to your words.

Before speaking when you are angry, ask yourself:

*"Will these words represent Christ well?"*

If the answer is no, pause.

You do not have to win every argument.

You do not have to answer every insult.

Sometimes the strongest Christian response is a calm one.

*📝 Daily To-Do.*

Choose one situation today where you would normally react quickly.

Instead:

1. Pause.
2. Breathe.
3. Pray.
4. Speak calmly.
5. Leave the matter with God.

*☁️ Heavenly View.*

Imagine standing before Christ and looking back upon today's conversations.

Which words would you wish you had spoken differently?

Which argument would suddenly seem unimportant?

Which act of kindness would still matter?

The Heavenly View reminds us that our conduct today forms part of the testimony we leave behind.

*🧭📝 Today's Christian To-Do.*

Today, practise *The Three Grateful Pauses*.

*🌅 Pause One: Morning.*

Thank God for three things before beginning your day.

*⚠️ Pause Two: Difficulty.*

When something goes wrong, stop before reacting.

Ask God for wisdom.

*🌙 Pause Three: Evening.*

Before going to sleep, remember one moment where you saw God's grace.

It might be something enormous.

It might be something as simple as finding your keys.

The important thing is learning to notice.

*What we repeatedly notice, we learn to appreciate.*

And what we learn to appreciate, we are more likely to protect and cherish.

*👀☁️ The Heavenly View.*

From our earthly perspective, life can sometimes look like a collection of unrelated events.

Something happens.

Then something else happens.

A stranger appears.

A door opens.

Another closes.

We lose something.

We find something.

We meet someone.

We say goodbye to someone.

We experience joy.

We experience grief.

Yet God sees the whole picture.

We do not.

That does not mean that every event is pleasant or that every tragedy has an obvious explanation.

It means that our limited perspective is not the complete story.

Therefore, when we cannot understand the road ahead, we can still trust the One who sees it.

Gratitude does not deny suffering.

Gratitude reminds us that suffering is not all there is.

There is still grace.

There is still mercy.

There is still hope.

And there is still God.

*❤️🕯️ A Word for Those Who Are Grieving.*

Today we remember those who are carrying the pain of losing someone they love.

Some losses are recent.

Others happened months or years ago, yet the pain remains.

Grief does not always follow a timetable.

Some people need a funeral or memorial service to say goodbye.

Others process their grief differently.

Whatever the circumstances, those who mourn need compassion rather than judgement.

Today we remember those who have lost spouses, parents, children, friends, and loved ones.

May God comfort those who are grieving.

May He provide people who will listen.

May He provide strength for the difficult mornings and quiet evenings.

And may He remind the grieving that they do not have to carry everything alone.

*🙏🕊️ Closing Prayer.*

_Father God, I pray that this lesson today would touch someone's heart, and that it would bring about a change in people, even in myself, Lord._

_You have called me to do these devotions._

_I started them as a means to pass the time and to encourage a few close friends._

_Yes, I did pray about it, and yes, I believe You told me to do it._

_But now it has grown into something bigger._

_It is no longer only within the WhatsApp broadcast environment._

_It has expanded into the WhatsApp community, a WhatsApp channel, and most importantly, the PlebWare ecosystem, which has become a publishing platform and a learning and teaching platform._

_I pray, Lord, that You bless all those who come across my written works._

_Also remind them to check everything against Your written Word, Your preserved Word, the truth._

_For You are the Word._

_Lord Jesus, I pray that You use Your Holy Spirit to bring conviction where conviction is needed, and peace where peace is needed._

_We think of so many people who have lost loved ones._

_We think of Grant in Australia, who lost his wife to cancer. She had not even reached forty-five years of age._

_We think of Francois, who recently lost his mother._

_We think of the pain that can come when families handle death and mourning differently, and when someone feels that there was no opportunity to say goodbye in the way they needed._

_We pray for those who are hurting._

_Comfort those who mourn, Lord._

_We also think of Jullian, my son, my spiritual son whom You have appointed me to take under my wing and treat like a son._

_He too is still trying to come to terms with his mother's passing in January._

_Lord, bring comfort where comfort is needed._

_Bring direction where direction is needed._

_Guard each and every one of us._

_Help us to completely and utterly hand over our difficulties and place them at the foot of Your cross._

_Help us to recognise Your grace even in the small things._

_Help us to become grateful people._

_Help us to become people whose words, actions, and conduct point others towards You rather than away from You._

_I ask all these things in Your precious name, Jesus._

_Amen._

_✍️🩸 God's Journalist._

_🩸 Cody — Dei Scriptor  _
_"God's Journalist."_

_Sanguine et Igne Veritas Revelata.  _
_Truth Revealed by Blood and Fire._

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_PlebWare — Accessible. Repairable. Understandable Technology._